Conversion unit for inboard motor boats



Feb. 2, 1960 D. D. TRAVIS, SR 2,923,270

CONVERSION UNIT FOR INBOARD MOTOR BOATS Filed Aug. 28, 1956 2 Shezets-Sheet 1 40 Dexter D. Travis, `Sr

JNVENToR.

3" BY wywfm Feb. 2, 1960 D. D. TRAVIS, SR 2,923,270

CONVERSION UNIT FOR INBOARD MOTOR BOATS Filed Aug. 28, 1956 2 Sheets-Shea?l 2 Fig. 3

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/08 Dex rer D. Trav/s, Sr.

INVEN TOR.

Fig' 5 @1616A CONVERSION Een @BOARD Moron soars Dexter 1). Travis, Sr.,'fPeo1-ia; lil. Application August 28j 195.6,..1Serialf` No 606,650

, Claims. Cl.L 41,. 15 `4 1) This invention generally relates ,to a; driving mechanism forrinboard motors wherein, anoiitboarddrivinggmehanismis employed.'

An objectY of `the present zinventionis,toI provide'an outboard driving mechanism for andinboard motor boat for converting an inboard motorboat to 'that. typeof boat having an outboard drivenunitpwhich allowsthe inboard motor to be positioned 'inthexextrememrearof the boat and generally gives all 'theradyantagespf an outboard Vdriving unit.

Another object of the present invention -is tol provide` an outboard driving unit whichis easy to repair and which may be tilted or removed in the same manner asian outboard motor and which may be easilgsteered or provided with power steering and which SextIem'ely economical to operate.

Yet another important objecgpfjthezpresentinvention is to providean outboard drivingumechanisnrfor an inboard motor boat in which all of the obstacles such as the shaft and propeller andthe shaft Ystub are removed from the bottom of the boat for permitting better movement of the boat through the water and lalso permitting the engine to be positioned in the widest part of the bottom of the boat so that the boat will plane sooner and employ less horsepower for this purpose.

Other important features of the present invention will lreside in its simplicity of construction, ease of attachment, ease of assembly, ease of repair, adaptation for its particular purposes and its relatively inexpensive manufacturing cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of .construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, .reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the rear por- V tion of a boat `with. the outboard drive mechanism or conversion unit of the` present invention mounted thereon; .Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the construction of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon. a plane passing along section line 3-.3 of Figure 2 illustrating certain details of construction of the present invention;

j Figure 4 is. a detailed sectional view taken substantially lupon a plane passing along sectionline 4 4 of Figure l illustrating the details of construction of the supporting bracket;

Figure 5 is a transverse, vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 5 5 of Figure 3 illustrating the specific structural details of the resilient cup-shaped member for retaining .the outboard unit in position; and

VFigure 6 is a detailed sectional veiw illustrating further structural details of the separable connection between the inboard motor drive shaft and the stub shaft located in the outboard drive unit.

atented Feb. V2, 19x60 YReferringnow, specically to the drawingsrthe numeral 10 generally designates the outboard drive mechanism of the present invention which isemployed on a-boat generally designated by the numeral l2 which includes an inboard motor generally designatedV by the numeral 14 having a reverse gear` mechanism 16 with an operating handle 18 together with a` rearwardly` extending drive shaft 2? having a shockvcoupling 22 ytherein with -the shaft 2i?. extending through` an opening 24 yin the. sternboard 26 of theboatl2. The opening 24 is provided with a stuffing box construction. 28v on theinner Asurface thereof together with an adjusting nut4 30l forvv adjusting a packing around the shaft 20 for sealing the shaft 20 as it passes through the sternboard 26. The outer end of the drive shaft Ztlis polygonal and is .pointediasdesignated by the numeral 32.

For mounting theoutboard drive mechanism 10 on the boat 1,2, aY C-clamp 34 is provided with a clamp-screw 36 for detachably receiving a similar enlarged plate 40 which is secured thereto by fastening bolts.42 and includes a pair of upstanding lugs,44 vhaving ashaft 46V extending therethrough and pivotally mounted thereon. yThe C- clarnp 34, plates Sgtand 40, and lugs 44 .forma bracket for supporting the outboard drive unit l() fromthe sternboard 26. Extending laterally. and rigidly from the shaft 46 is a rearwardlyextending arm 4S.termin ating in an internally. threaded aperture 50 for tirrreadedlyY 4receiving a threaded portion 52 of an elongated cylindrical housing generally designated bythe numeral 54. A lock screw 56 is provided in the armi48V forilockingthe vertical housing 54in vertically adjusted position.

`The upper end of the housing54 is provided with a boltiSS which pivotally mounts an elongated handle 60 having a hand-grip portionY 62 extending inwardlyiof` the boat 12 and the other end thereofis provided with a depending rod 64 which has an inwardly extending socket 66 therein telescopically receiving an4 elongated rod .68 for a purpose describedhereinafter.

The elongated housing 54 includes an uppersection 70, a lower section 72 and an interconnecting casing 74 which is substantially JU-.shaped in coniiguration, and the rod 658 is rigidlysecured to the casing 74. The lower yendof the lower section 72 lis provided with a propeller 76 and is alsoprovided with a vertically extending shaft 78which drives the propeller 76. Above the propeller 76 is provided the usual cavitation plate Sil and below the propeller 76 is the usual rearwardly extending member 82. The lower leg of the U-shaped casing 74 encircles the lower section 72 and is rigidly secured theretoby a bolt member S4. The upper leg of the U-slraped casing 74 encircles the upper section 7) in slightly spaced relation as designated by numeral .86 to permit relative pivotal movement between the casing 74 and the upper section 70 upon pivotal movement of the handle 60 wherein Vthe swinging movement will be transmitted by the rod 68 for pivoting the lower section 72 about a vertical axisthereby varying the angular position of the propeller 76.

A hollow gear box 88 is provided with removable retainer nuts 91 which captively retain vflanges 90 on .the upper `and lower sections 70 and 72. for mounting lthe same on the gear box for relative rotation lwherein kthe upper leg of the U-shaped casing 74 rests on the upper end ofthe gear, box 8S. The gear box 88 is provided with a vertically disposed bearing portion VSlZihaving a stub shaft 94 journaled thereon. A bevel gear.96is mounted onone end of the stub shaft 94 and is in meshing engagement with a bevel gear 9S on theiupper ,end of the vertical shaft 78 thereby driving the vertical shaft 78 from the stub shaft 94. The stub shaft 94 is provided with a universal coupling 100 adjacent the center thereof and the free end of the stub shaft 94 is provided with a hollow polygonal socket 102 which extends inwardly from the free end thereof and which telescopically engages over the polygonal end of the drive shaft 20 from the inboard motor 14 whereby rotational force may be transmitted through the stub shaft 94, gear, gear 98 and shaft 78 to the propeller 76.

Rigidly secured to the gear casing or gear box 88 is a tubular member 104 which terminates at its free end in substantially a semi-spherical portion 106 for engagement with a plurality of outwardly bowed resilient clips 108 'which coact to form a resilient cup or socket for clampingly engaging the semi-spherical portion 106 of the tubular member 104. The free ends of the clips S are provided with outturned curved portions 110 to facilitate the entry of the spherical member 106 therebetween. Also, the outwardly bowed portions of the clips 108 are interconnected by an annular ring 112 which orientates the clips 108 in proper position and maintains the tension thereon. All of the clips 108 are mounted on a supporting plate 114 and these clips are equally spaced circumferentially about the drive shaft 20 whereby the' drive Shaft 20 will be retained in telescopic engagement with the stub shaft 94 when the propeller is being driven in a reverse direction. This resilient engagement will also permit breaking of the driving connection in the event the lower section 72 of the housing 54 engages some foreign object in the water such as an obstruction or the like. This also will permit the outboard motor attachment to be pivoted upwardly and about a transverse axis for repair or removal of the housing in the associated mechanism. This construction also eliminates the tendency of a boat with an inboard to capsize when it runs aground due to the shaft, strut and the usual obstructions on the bottom. Also, a boat constructed in accordance with the present invention may be easily beached for pleasure or in the event of an emergency.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the tubular member 104 is provided with a longitudinal bore 116 that is oval-shaped in cross section for permitting limited pivotal movement of the stub shaft 94 for alignment of the socket 102 with the pointed end 32 of the shaft 20. A pair of opposed pins 118 extend into the bore 116 for engagement with the shaft 94. The pins 118 include heads slidable in passages 120 and springs 122 engage the outer ends of the pins 118 for urging the same inwardly. An adjustable screw threaded plug 124 is provided in each passage 120 for engagement with the outer ends of the springs 122 for varying the spring tension. The pins 118 engage the stub shaft 94 when the driving connection is disconnected for holding the free end of the stub shaft 94 adjacent the upper surface of the bore 102, as shown in Fig. 6, thereby retaining the socket or bore 102 in alignment with the pointed end 32 of drive shaft 20 for automatically interconnecting shafts 20 and 94 when the attachment is pivoted downwardly about a transverse axis.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

l. An outboard drive mechanism for a boat having an inboard motor with a rearwardly extending drive shaft projecting from the stern, said mechanism including a bracket adapted to be attached to the stern of a boat, a vertically disposed elongated housing pivotally supported from said bracket for vertically swinging movement about an axis transverse of the longitudinal axis of a boat, a propeller mounted on the lower end of said housing, a vertical shaft in said housing for driving said propeller, a drive shaft operatively connected to said vertical shaft, a motor drivingly connected to said drive shaft, and a separable driving connection between said vertical shaft and said drive shaft for transmitting rotational force to the propeller, said driving connection being disconnected when the lower end of the housing is swung rearwardly, -said driving connection including a stub drive shaft extending from the housing for driving engagement with the drive shaft from the motor, a tubular member fixed to the housing encircling the stub drive shaft, and resilient means mounted on the stern of the boat for engagement with the tubular member for releasably maintaining the drive shaft in driving engagement.

2. The combination of claim l wherein said vertical shaft is provided with a bevel gear on the upper end thereof, said motor drive shaft having a polygonal end said stub shaft having a bevel gear thereon in meshing engagement with the gear on the vertical shaft for driving said vertical shaft, said stub shaft having a universal coupling therein and a polygonal socket in the free end thereof for telescopic engagement with the polygonal end of the motor drive shaft.

3. The combination of claim l wherein said tubular member is provided with a generally spherical free end, said resilient means including a plurality of outwardly bowed clips being disposed in circumferentially spaced relation to the drive shaft and forming a generally spherical socket for resiliently gripping the end of the tubular member and centralizing the tubular member in relation to the drive shaft.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein' said tubular member forms a bearing for the stub shaft, and spring means within the tubular member urging the stub shaft into bearing engagementwith the lower interior surface of the tubular member.

5. An outboard drive mechanism for a boat having an inboard motor with a rearwardly extending drive shaft projecting from the stern, said mechanism including a bracket adapted to be attached to the stern of a boat, a vertically disposed elongated housing pivotally supported from said bracket for vertically swinging movement about an axis transverse of the longitudinal axis of a boat, a propeller mounted on the lower end of said housing, a vertical shaft in said housing for driving said propeller, a drive shaft operatively connected to said vertical shaft, a motor drivingly connected to said drive shaft, and a separable driving connection between said vertical shaft and said drive shaft for transmitting rotational force to the propeller, said driving connection being disconnected when the lower end of the housing is swung rearwardly and upwardly upon striking a foreign object, said driving connection including a stub drive shaft extending from the housing for driving engagement with the drive shaft from the motor, a tubular member fixed to the housing encircling the stub drive shaft, resilient means mounted on the stern of the boat for engagement with the tubular member for releasably maintaining the drive shaft in driving engagement, said housing being sectional with the upper and lower sections being connected by a hollow casing, said casing being swivelly attached to the upper section for permitting swivel movement of the lower section about a vertical axis for controlling the angular position of the propeller, and means attached to the upper section adapted to extend into the interior of the boat for guiding the movement thereof, said bracket including spacedV lugs, a shaft supportedV between said lugs, a rearwardly extending arm rigid with said shaft, said arm terminating in a vertically internally threaded opening, said housing having -a threaded portion disposed in said opening for providing vertical adjustment of said housing and means carried by said arm for locking the housing in a vertically adjusted position.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Schultz et al, gp... Oct. 28, 1947 

